BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          SB 578
                                                          Page  1

Date of Hearing:   August 18, 1999

              ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                    Carole Migden, Chairwoman

           SB 578 (Poochigian) - As Amended: 7/13/99 

Policy Committee:                               
EducationVote:15-0

Urgency:     Yes                  State Mandated Local  
Program:NoReimbursable:           No

  SUMMARY  :

This bill requires the publisher of the statewide Student  
Reporting and Testing (STAR) system to make available a report  
that provides the numerical distribution of the reading scores  
of all pupils that took the STAR test, and a customized reading  
list for each individual pupil who has taken the English  
Language Arts portion of the STAR test.  The bill also  
reimburses the publishers $0.50 per customized report.

  FISCAL EFFECT  :

GF (Prop 98) cost of over $2 million to pay for the cost of the  
customized report.  There were 4.3 million students who took the  
STAR test in 1999.  At $0.50 per report, the total cost would be  
over $2 million to reimburse the publisher.

  COMMENTS  :

  Purpose  . Supporters contend that this bill would further the  
effort to ensure that all students learn to read at grade level  
by providing a customized reading lists based on a student's  
STAR scores.  Supporters believe these reports would be of great  
benefit to students, parents and school staff by facilitating  
more informed decision-making when reading materials are  
purchased for the home or classroom.


  Analysis Prepared by  :    Jai Sookprasert / APPR. / (916)  
319-2081